Chapter 5: The Truth About Emily
Chapter 5: The Truth About Emily
The message on Lucas’s phone burned into his mind.
“Lucas, don’t trust Daniel. He is the reason Emily died.”
For several seconds, he couldn’t move.
The wedding hall around him disappeared.
The guests.
The decorations.
The ruined ceremony.
Everything became a blur.
There was only one thought.
Emily.
His first wife.
Lily’s mother.
The woman whose smile had once filled their home with warmth.
The woman who had trusted him with their daughter before she took her last breath.
Lucas slowly lifted his eyes toward Daniel.
The man standing in front of him suddenly looked different.
A moment ago, Daniel was the person who brought answers.
Now…
He looked like another mystery.
“Who sent this?”
Daniel noticed Lucas’s expression.
“What happened?”
Lucas turned the phone screen toward him.
Daniel read the message.
The color drained from his face.
Lucas saw it.
The reaction.
The fear.
Not confusion.
Not surprise.
Fear.
“Daniel.”
His voice was quiet.
“Is it true?”
The room became silent again.
Daniel looked at Lily.
Then at Lucas.
“I knew this day would come.”
Those words made Lucas’s stomach tighten.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel sighed.
“It means there are things you were never told.”
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
A small, bitter laugh.
“Interesting.”
Everyone looked at her.
She wiped her tears.
“The man who disappeared for six years suddenly returns and wants everyone to believe he’s the hero?”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“You don’t get to pretend you’re innocent.”
Vanessa smiled.
“And you do?”
Lucas looked between them.
“Enough.”
His voice stopped them both.
“I’m done being the person everyone manipulates.”
He held up the phone.
“I want answers.”
Nobody spoke.
Lucas pointed at Daniel.
“You first.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Ask.”
“Were you involved in Emily’s death?”
The question shocked everyone.
Lily looked up at her father.
Lucas immediately softened.
“Take Lily outside.”
His mother understood.
She gently guided Lily away from the crowd.
Only when his daughter was gone did Lucas continue.
“Answer me.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“No.”
Lucas stared.
“No?”
“No, I did not cause Emily’s death.”
“Then why does someone think you did?”
Daniel looked down.
“Because I made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
Daniel took a deep breath.
“Six years ago, Emily discovered something about Vanessa.”
Lucas glanced at Vanessa.
“What?”
Daniel looked at the wedding dress still lying on the floor.
“Vanessa was not just interested in you.”
He paused.
“She was interested in Emily’s life.”
Lucas frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Daniel opened the folder again.
Inside was another photograph.
This time, Lucas recognized the location.
It was Emily’s workplace.
And Vanessa was standing outside.
“When was this taken?”
“Three months before Emily died.”
Lucas stared.
“Why was Vanessa following her?”
Daniel answered:
“Because Emily found out Vanessa had been using fake identities.”
Lucas’s eyes widened.
“Fake identities?”
Daniel nodded.
“She had different names. Different backgrounds. Different stories.”
Lucas felt a chill.
“Why would someone do that?”
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
“Because she needed a new beginning every time her old one became dangerous.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Stop lying.”
Daniel ignored her.
“Emily was going to expose her.”
Lucas remembered something.
A memory from years ago.
A conversation with Emily.
A week before the accident.
She had been nervous.
She had told him:
“Lucas, if anything happens to me, promise me you’ll protect Lily.”
At the time, he thought it was just a mother’s fear.
Now…
It felt different.
Lucas looked at Daniel.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Daniel looked ashamed.
“Because Emily asked me not to.”
Lucas froze.
“She knew?”
Daniel nodded.
“She knew she was in danger.”
The room became quiet.
“Then why didn’t she tell me?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because she was afraid you would do something reckless.”
Lucas looked away.
That sounded like Emily.
She always protected him from his own anger.
“But what happened that night?”
Daniel’s face became painful.
“The night Emily died…”
He stopped.
Lucas waited.
“Emily called me.”
The words hit him.
“You talked to her?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
Daniel looked down.
“She told me Vanessa knew she had discovered the truth.”
Lucas felt his heartbeat increase.
“What truth?”
Daniel answered:
“That Vanessa wasn’t trying to become part of your family.”
A pause.
“She was trying to replace it.”
Lucas looked at Vanessa.
Her face was emotionless now.
Almost cold.
Daniel continued.
“Emily wanted me to meet her and take Lily away for a few days.”
Lucas frowned.
“Why?”
“Because she was scared.”
The room felt smaller.
“But I was too late.”
Lucas’s hands tightened.
“What happened?”
Daniel’s voice became heavier.
“I arrived after the accident.”
Silence.
Lucas stared.
“You were there?”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“And you never told me?”
Daniel looked away.
“I found evidence.”
“What evidence?”
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said:
“Evidence that the accident might not have been an accident.”
Lucas felt like the ground disappeared.
“What?”
Everyone gasped.
Vanessa’s expression changed.
Daniel continued.
“Emily’s car had been tampered with.”
Lucas stared.
“Who did it?”
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
But before he could answer…
Vanessa spoke.
“You’re lying.”
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“You don’t have proof.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I do.”
Lucas immediately turned.
“Where?”
Daniel reached into his jacket.
“I kept it hidden because I was afraid.”
He pulled out an old envelope.
“It contains the original investigation files.”
Lucas grabbed it.
His hands shook.
Inside were reports.
Photos.
Mechanical records.
And one piece of paper.
A handwritten note.
Lucas recognized the handwriting instantly.
Emily’s handwriting.
His breathing stopped.
He opened it.
Only one sentence was written:
“Lucas, if you are reading this, it means I was right about Vanessa.”
The room went silent.
Lucas read the next line.
And his heart shattered.
“She is not trying to marry you because she loves you. She is trying to take my place.”
Lucas looked up.
Everyone was watching him.
Vanessa.
Daniel.
The guests.
But one person was missing.
Lily.
And suddenly, Lucas realized something terrifying.
If Emily had known Vanessa was dangerous…
Then why did Vanessa wait until now?
Why didn’t she act earlier?
Unless…
This wedding was not the beginning of her plan.
It was the final step.
Lucas slowly folded the letter.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“Tell me one thing.”
She remained silent.
“How long have you been planning to destroy my family?”
For the first time…
Vanessa smiled.
Not the sweet smile everyone knew.
A different one.
A cold one.
“You really want the truth?”
Lucas stared at her.
“Yes.”
Vanessa looked toward the door where Lily had left.
Then she whispered:
“Since the day I met Emily.”
The entire hall froze.
Because everyone understood.
This was never about a wedding.
It was a war that had started years ago.
May you like
And Lucas had just discovered he had been fighting an enemy who was already inside his home.
To be continued…
